บททั้งหมดของ They Toasted Her, so I Left the Moretti Family: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

Our three years of rotating through our families' businesses were almost over. Marco and I had spent the past two months trying to turn around my family's seaside restaurant on Long Island, which had been losing money for two years.The restaurant stood at the eastern tip of Long Island, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the coast. When we'd first gone there to take inventory two years earlier, the terrace was a mess. The sea wind had bleached the wooden deck. Marco had stood by the windows and tossed me a ring of rusty keys."When our rotations are over, let's make something of this place."I caught the keys and looked up at him. "What if our families say no?"He smiled, so sure of himself. "Then we'll show them. At least this place will be the first thing we build together."I'd held on to those words for two years.To prepare for our project review, I'd stayed up several nights going through nearly six months of accounts. I'd replaced suppliers who'd been taking kickbacks fo

Every year, around the anniversary of Lorenzo's death, my family would hold a gala for the charitable foundation.For the past year, I'd been in charge of the foundation's community renovation project from start to finish. The project was badly over budget, the contractors were deliberately dragging out the work, and the whole thing was on the verge of collapse. I renegotiated prices again and again, replaced two sets of suppliers who weren't doing their jobs, and stayed up late revising plans until I finally got the entire project back on schedule.This gala was supposed to be my first chance to present my results to the senior members of our partner families. My chance to earn my place.More than that, my father had arranged for Marco and me to stand together and welcome the guests.For years, both families had assumed our marriage would unite them. To me, this was the first time I'd enter their inner social circle openly as Marco's partner.I'd spent two weeks preparing the guest li

The night before the Ferraro contract took effect, the Moretti family held a meeting of its inner circle.When I got back to the estate, two guards stood outside the study. There was a list of attendees by the door. Marco, Sophia, and every young family member set to take over one of the family businesses were on it.Everyone but me."Why am I not on the list?" I asked.One of the guards looked uncomfortable. "The Don said this meeting is only for people whose appointments have been confirmed."I looked at the partly open door. I was about to leave when I heard my father's voice from inside. "Sophia will take full charge of the Manhattan private club."Next, Marco was named head of the joint hotel project.The senior members began discussing the next stage of their business plans. Before they'd finished, my father brought up my future again. "Elena will stay in New York this year and spend a year learning under Marco. She needs to become more level-headed and gain experience."Someone

During my first week in San Francisco, the strangest thing was how everyone waited. For my answer. For my decision.Lucia put together three housing options. One was close to the office, with an easy commute. One had the best security. The third offered the most privacy and freedom.At our first project meeting, the finance director asked whether we should adjust the warehouse budget. Everyone at the table turned to me.They weren't blindly following my lead. People disagreed, pointed out risks, and warned me about costs and waste. But no one jumped in to decide for me. No one took the choice out of my hands.On the third day, I chose my home and approved the full security plan.On the morning of my sixth day there, I stood by my office window and saw a black armored car I knew far too well.I'd ridden in it for years. I knew every detail. The first-aid kit in the back seat. The small cigarette burn beside the driver's seat.Two of my old bodyguards got out. One of them was Bruno March

My father slid my withdrawal papers for the Ferraro project across the desk. I heard the soft scrape of paper against the desktop."This isn't just about giving you a way out." His voice was low and grave. "Someone out there wants you dead."My mother sat beside him, red-eyed and visibly frightened. Her voice trembled slightly. "Come back to New York first. Everything else can wait."I looked at them.I knew they were afraid for me. That fear was real. So I didn't push the papers back at once. I looked up and asked the question that had stayed with me. "What about the Brooklyn docks?"My father's frown deepened. "What?""People were being shot at that day too." I turned to my mother, calm but cold. "Why was it fine for me to stay behind and handle the mess alone then?"Silence filled the closed room. Even the air seemed to stop moving.My mother looked away first. She sounded a little helpless, as if hoping I'd accept her explanation. "Because you're steadier. You've always handled thi